The 2nd Great Back-to-School Blessing of the Backpacks & Hot Dog Festival held on Sunday, August 29 at The Branches had a great turnout. Everyone had a good time, enjoyed hot dogs and got their school year off to a good start with a special blessing. Most importantly, 96 backpacks filled with supplies plus additional supplies for classrooms were collected! These backpacks will be given to area school children. Thank you to everyone who donated backpacks, school supplies & gave monetary help!
Please click on the above picture to read the story.

A wonderful article written by Caitlin Dineen, Staff Writer for the Press of Atlantic City, can be accessed here.

St. Mary's, together with our support congregations from Our Saviour Lutheran and St. Paul's Church, will host families from the Family Promise program the week of Sept. 5. Volunteers are needed to prepare dinner, socialize, and stay overnight on Sunday, Sept. 5, Monday, Sept. 6 & Saturday, Sept. 11.  If you can help with this very necessary program, contact the church office. We guarantee that your experience will definitety be rewarding! 
You can read about the wonderful work Family Promise is doing in our County here.

Celebrating our past, preserving our future...
St. Mary's is going solar! You can read about it here.

The Uppity Women's Bible Study resumes on Monday, November 15th at 5:30 p.m. with a study of the Book of Ruth. This book looks at the vulnerability of widows and the difficult situation of foreigners in biblical times. The Rev. Dr. Lisa Wolfe, through a series of 10 minute videos, will kick off our discussion as she explores themes of loyalty, bitterness, courage, poverty and seduction. What really happened on the threshing room floor? Combining humor and careful scholarship, this study invites you to re-read the Book of Ruth with new insight and understanding for all its characters, especially the intelligent, confident - even uppity - heroine Ruth.

For those who are new to Bible study in a group, we hope you'll consider joining us. We are a group of women who enjoy coming together to laugh and share as we engage in serious conversations about our faith and about our doubts in light of the Scripture we are reading. All are Welcome!

Thank you to everyone who supported our Easter food basket project. We were able to provide Easter dinner and pantry staples for 65 families in need in Cape May County. Special thanks to Shop-Rite of Rio Grande and their employees for their help and generous discounts!

We would like to print a St. Mary's cookbook to sell at various summer events to raise funds for this wonderful outreach program of our church, however we are in need of recipes! Please share a few of your favorite recipes. Send to jultaylor9425@yahoo.com, or by mail. Gourmet is not necessary. If there's something you make that you enjoy, others will too. Thank you for your help!!

On Saturday, March 6th, St. Mary's This 'n That Thrift Shop held a grand opening for its new expansion. A $25,000 check was given to Laurie Johnson of Family Promise and Sen. Jeff VanDrew presented a resolution to The Mustard Seed. Proceeds from the shop made possible the gift to Family Promise. Click here to read The Press news article. The Herald was also on hand. 
Click here to read their report. 
If you're in the area, make sure to stop by and view our beautiful new shops. There is now more space and more merchandise! And you just might find a bargain you can't resist. As always, donations and volunteers are welcome! Call 886-7272 to arrange a pick up.